War and Misrule (1307-1399). Various

And let me see the stroke before it comes,

       That even then when I shall lose my life

       My mind may be more steadfast on my God.

       Light. What means your highness to mistrust me thus?

       K. Edw. What mean'st thou to dissemble with me thus?

       Light. These hands were never stained with innocent blood,

       Nor shall they now be tainted with a King's.

       K. Edw. Forgive my thought for having such a thought.

       One jewel have I left; receive thou this: (Giving jewel.) Still fear I, and I know not what's the cause, But every joint shakes as I give it thee. O, if thou harbour'st murder in thy heart, Let this gift change thy mind, and save thy soul! Know that I am a King: O, at that name I feel a hell of grief! Where is my crown? Gone, gone! and do I remain alive? Light. You're overwatch'd, my lord; lie down and rest. K. Edw. But that grief keeps one waking, I should sleep; For not ten days have these eye-lids clos'd. Now, as I speak, they fall; and yet with fear Open again. O wherefore sitt'st thou here? Light. If thou mistrust me, I'll be gone, my lord. K. Edw. No, no; for if thou mean'st to murder me, Thou wilt return again; and therefore stay. (Sleeps.) Light. He sleeps. K. Edw. (waking) O! Let me die; yet stay, O stay a while! Light. How now, my lord? K. Edw. Something still buzzeth in mine ears, And tells me, if I sleep, I never wake; This fear is that which makes me tremble thus; And therefore tell me, wherefore art thou come? Light. To rid thee of thy life.—Matrevis, come. Enter Matrevis and Gurney. K. Edw. I am too weak and feeble to resist.— Assist me, sweet God, and receive my soul! Light. Run for the table. K. Edw. O, spare me, or despatch me in a trice. (Matrevis brings in a table. King Edward is murdered by holding him down on the bed with the table.) Light. So, lay the table down, and stamp on it, But not too hard, lest that you bruise his body. Mat. I fear that this cry will raise the town, And therefore let us take horse and away. Light. Tell me, sirs, was it not bravely done? Gur. Excellent well; take this for thy reward. (Stabs Lightborn, who dies.) Come, let us cast the body in the moat, And bear the King's away to Mortimer, our lord: Away. [Exeunt with bodies.

CHARACTER OF EDWARD II.

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      Source.—Gesta Edwardi de Carnarvon in Chronicles of the Reigns of Edward II. and Edward III. (Rolls Series), ii. 91.

      King Edward … was indeed fine in body and distinguished among men, but, as it is commonly said, very different in his manners. For, caring little for the company of princes, he made friends with singers, actors, grooms, sailors, and with others of this kind, artists and mechanics, believing more in the counsel of others than in his own; prodigal in giving, bounteous and splendid in entertainments, quick to anger, unreliable as to his word, dilatory against foreign enemies, easily enraged against his servants, and ardently attached to some one familiar friend whom he would cherish, enrich, and promote, not enduring to be absent from his presence, and honouring him before all others; whence came hatred of the lover, and abuse and ruin of the one loved, injury to the people, and loss to the kingdom. Moreover he promoted unworthy and unfit men to be ecclesiastics; these afterwards in his time of trouble deserted him.

THE ACCESSION OF EDWARD III.

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      Source.—Harleian MS. (British Museum), 2261, fols. 388–388b.

      Edward, son of King Edward, after the conquest the third, of xv. years in age, was crowned into King in the feast of the Purification of our blessed Lady at Westminster, his father being in life and under keeping. In the beginning of whom the earth began to give much fruit, the air temperance, the sea tranquillity, the Church liberty. Edward sometime King was brought from Kenilworth to the castle of Berkeley, where he was slain. … Wherefore many people say that he died a martyr and did many miracles; nevertheless keeping in prison, vileness, and opprobrious death cause not a martyr, but if the holiness of life afore be correspondent; for it is well and if that[5] vile death do away sin in him and diminish his pains. But women loving to go in pilgrimage increase much the rumour of such veneration, until that a feeble edifying fall down.